Chase
by LVM the Ice Queen
Summary: Lyra De Cloyes has made some mistakes in her time, but could coming to the X-Men for help be her biggest?
1. Forced entry

**DISCLAIMER: **I DO NOT OWN THE X-MEN OR ANY AFILIATED CRITEREA SUCH AS MAGNETO, THE BROTHERHOOD OR THE PLACES AND TECHNOLOGY DISCRIBED.

I OWN LYRA DE CLOYES, THE DE CLOYES FAMILY, THE PHOENIX LEAGUE MINUS PYRO, AND OTHER CHARACTERS WHO PRESENT THEMSELVES IN THIS STORY.

**CREDITS: **TO DRAGONFLYQUEEN, WITHOUT YOU, I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO CHAPTER 9, WHICH SHE WROTE A MAIN PART OF.

TO LYDIA BECAUSE I MODELED HER MUTATIONS ON YOUR GYM SKILLS.

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**CHASE**

**PART I **

**CHAPTER I**

Lyra "Chase" De Cloyes scaled the worn stone walls of the immense mansion with ease, her calloused hands touching the each stone, giving her a slight burst of energy. She was completely concealed by darkness; the moon had passed behind a cloud skimming across the sky. When it emerged again, it showered the grounds of the manor with a soft, silver light. Instinctively, she leapt up onto the roof and ran for cover behind one of the many chimneys issuing smoke. She sat, legs crossed, perched above the skylight, letting her black eyes survey the happenings of the people below. Once she was sure that no-one was left in the classroom, she jumped to her feet, flipped deftly onto one hand that was resting lightly on the stain glass window. Her black hair was hanging loosely, marring her view of the room below.  
Twisting her arm so that she could reach her rucksack that was strapped tightly to her back, she retrieved a hammer, blunt side facing the window.

A strong wind rustled the leaves in the trees, sending stray leaves flying. Lyra was rocked slightly, but managed to keep herself upright.

Raising her hand that held the hammer up a distance away from the window, she launched herself up into the air, bringing the hammer down fast, breaking the centre panes of glass, leaving her a clear entry wound. She dived several metres, enjoying the feeling of the cool wind on her face, before landing on her feet, crouching slightly, surveying her possible exits.

She'd seen the blue prints hours before, but it was completely different in real form.

Lyra, knowing that someone must have heard the window break and the shards of glass fall to the floor, darted off to her right to the main door, unclipping her bag and leaving it by the door. She had no need for it now.

Her army boots soundlessly padded down the hall toward the lift. Some one was coming in the other direction so she jumped to the wall. She slipped up onto roof of the hall, her black body suit blending into the shadows. A muscular boy without a shirt ran underneath her, blindly looking for the intruder that he wasn't going to find.

Lyra laughed silently to herself before continuing to crawl along the roof of the hall. Others followed the muscular boys lead, running in the wrong direction, leaving her undetected and unseen. She dodged a chandelier, elevator in sight.

She dropped to the floor, landing without a sound. She was like a shadow, noiseless, constantly on the move, never seen by the people she pursued. And that's the way she liked it. She did what she wanted. No one gave her trouble; they were too startled by her appearance to do that. She lived alone. She worked alone. That's the way things had to be.

The sensor above the door to the lift alerted it that someone wanted to go downstairs. She heard it, pulleys working all at once to retrieve the carriage. She heard it click into place and the doors began to open.

But what waited inside, she had no time to prepare for.

Logan released his claws, all six of them protruding out of his knuckles, Lyra was startled, she jumped to the roof and ran in the other direction. She knew the man was right behind her, his footsteps falling heavily on the ground underneath him.. He threw his arms at her madly, cutting away parts of her jet black hair that was travelling along behind her. He finally caught onto her pony tail and pulled her back. She screamed shrilly as she was thrown to the floor. Logan pinned her down by her shoulders. He was breathing hard, the thrill of the chase and adrenalin had gone straight to his head. His ears were pounding, every sense tingling.

She raised her right leg and kicked him in the crotch. He winced and fell onto his side, gasping for air. Lyra pushed him away from her and leapt to the wall once more, sprinting to the elevator that had been poised, doors open. Once inside, she pressed at the "Close Doors" Button madly.

Cerebro was hers for the taking.

She waved, smiling maliciously at Logan who had gathered himself and was now advancing on her. The doors closed and she heard a hollow thump as metal hit metal.


	2. One fatal blow

**CHASE**

**PART I**

**CHAPTER II**

'What in the name of all things good is going on?' Storm yelled over the sound of screaming and feet on the wooden floor boards. Somehow, word of an intruder had passed through every dorm in the school and all the children were now in hysterics. All 50 of them seemed to be convinced that it was a repeat of the events of a few months ago but there seemed to be no sign of the intruder what so ever.

Kurt shrugged and tried to wade his way through the swarm of mutants running up and down the halls, after several attempts, he gave up and bamfed to Ororo's side. Clad in only a short nightdress, she made her way with her blue skinned counterpart to the main classroom where the children where gathering. Charles was already there, inspecting the break in point.

Glass littered the floor everywhere and several of the schools senior students had donned gloves and slippers and now were picking up the shards.

Charles looked up and mentally reached out to her mind.

_I want the intruder found and I want them detained as fast as possible._

Storm nodded and turned on her heal, Kurt lingered for a few moments. 'Vere is Scott?' He murmured, turning his blue head to view the vast space that was filling with chattering children.

Charles looked around too, though he new that Cyclops wasn't in the room. It was devoid of Logan's muscular presence as well.

X  
  
Logan slid down the metallic surface that now had a permanent indent of his body. His ears were ringing and his head ached.

'Shit' he swore, slamming his hand into the blue plush pile carpet. Her scent was still strong so he'd be able to track her when she left, but for now, he was down and out of the running. She'd get away, or worse, Scott would get her and be the hero. He would be strutting around the X-Mansion for weeks, continuously reminding him that it was he, Scott Summers that had captured the perpetrator.

Raising himself to his feet, Logan walked gingerly down the hall to the stairs. If he hurried, the perp would still be at work on what ever she wanted and he'd be able to give her three new belly buttons.

X

Lyra slipped out of the lift and sprinted down the metallic hall. Cerebro was so close.

The door drew closer and by this time, she'd worked out that there wasn't a lock.

'Shit' she swore, running her hands over the smooth surface, looking for a chink in the door. Nothing.

The light in the hall was rebounding of the shiny surfaces and hurting her eyes. She squinted as her vision became impaired.

The first fault in her plan.

She hadn't bargained for anything like this.

'Move one more inch and I burn a hole in the back of your head'

Lyra's shoulders slumped. Second fault.

'Turn around, arms where I can see them' Scott commanded voice steady.

She turned, her black eyes turned to look at his. No eyes. Just one red line, a visor, his hand was poised by a red button on the side.

Scott ushered her down the hall, her arms still raised above her head. 'No funny business' he murmured.

Lyra scowled at her army boots. Third strike. This wasn't going to please Phoenix.

X

Ears alert, back pressed against the wall of the shadowed stairwell, Logan held his breath. Scott and the intruder were moving down the hall at a fast rate. He wasn't going to let Scott get this one. Not today.

He jumped out from the stairwell and delivered a deadly blow directly into the girl's upper chest. Scott dropped his hand and stared in horror at the scene before him. The girl's scream was so high pitched that Logan had to drop her and cover his ears. She fell lightly to the ground in an undignified heap, three blood pools forming on her leather body suit before draining onto the floor.

'The professors gonna have your ass for this, Wolverine' Scott said lowly, unsure whether to smile or look horrified.


	3. Phoenix enters the mind

**PHOENIX ENTERS THE MIND**

'_You failed the Brotherhood, Chase' the thunderous voice said, echoing through the blank, empty space. The only thing that Lyra could see was a giant golden bird that was drifting lazily above her. Out from the darkness appeared a tall, slender woman, short amber hair and eyes ablaze._

'_Why?' She questioned, pulling Lyra toward her._

'_My entrance was perfect, flawless. But I was slowed by a man with adamantium claws. I brought him down easily but when I reach the chamber that held cerebro, there was some sort of lock, I was unable to open the door.'_

_The woman stared disappointedly down at her, hands on her hips. 'And?'_

'_There was another, he threatened to shoot me if I didn't go with him to "Charles's" office. I let my guard down. The other one jumped out at me. I had no time to think...'_

'_What did I tell you!' The amber haired lady thundered once more. 'ALWAYS, always be aware, be ready. This is why you have failed him.'_

_Lyra bent her head, 'Please forgive me, Phoenix' her lips trembled at the words._

_The woman's hand reached out for her chin and tilted her head upwards. 'It is not I that you have to ask forgiveness from. You have not wronged me, you have wronged Magneto.'_


	4. The hospital room

**CHASE**

**PART I**

**CHAPTER III**

Logan stood beside the hospital bed, arms crossed, drifting in and out of a light sleep. He had moved very little since several days before, having his meals brought down to him. He felt guilty. He'd hurt so many people with his mutations, and this time it was because of his ignorance of the situation that he nearly killed an 16 year old girl. Charles had said nothing to him for the duration of the time, occasionally shooting him looks of contempt when he came to check on the bedridden mutant.

Ororo would come down to dress the wounds in her chest and assure Logan that it wasn't his fault. Kurt would wander in, cross dangling from his three blue fingers. He would whisper prayers and leave again. Scott didn't come to visit, apparently still shocked by Logan's blatant disregard for the mansion rules. That and the fact he had tried to kill a mere child.

'Oh Jesus, not you again' Lyra whispered huskily, her eyes opening a fraction to look at her surroundings.

The lab was cold and unfamiliar. Unnatural light shone brightly down onto the metallic surfaces that filled the room. The sheets smelt of antiseptic wash and the pillow slip scratched uncomfortably at the side of her face. Logan was roused from his sleep. He unfolded his arms and stepped towards her. 'Hey, kid, I -'

Logan began but Lyra began to wave her arms madly. 'Don't come any closer with those claws of yours' she hissed, her black eyes looking down at bandages beneath her nightgown. He stepped back again. 'I just wanted to say sorry, for the nearly killing you thing' He mumbled, wringing his hands

'Well you really did find my Achilles heal, stabbing me in the chest like that!'

Logan didn't say anything but traced the in-betweens of his knuckles with his index finger.

Lyra raised herself up onto her elbow and ran her left hand through her greasy black hair. 'You don't mind telling me how long I've been here?' She asked, her dark pupils look up at Logan.

'3 days' he said, a little unnerved by those piercing eyes, like little holes of darkness.

'Oh crap.' She jumped from the bed and winced. 'You really left a mark on me.' She murmured, rummaging through the bedside table.

After finding nothing satisfactory, she left the table and went to the trunk at the end of the bed. She grabbed a track suit from the bottom and headed toward the bathroom.

'Please sit back down, Miss De Cloyes.' The bald professor said, face stern, voice grave.

Lyra recognized the ever familiar feeling of someone entering her mind. 'I have no business here' she said, turning her head slightly so that she could see his face.

The professor frowned 'But you did, unfortunately for you, you had a meeting with Wolverines mutations.' He shot a dark look to the muscular man in the corner who had suddenly become very interested with his belt buckle.

'Well I'm done now so can I leave?' she hissed, turning back, raising herself to her full height, her slender frame was obvious underneath the tight hospital dress.

'Certainly not, now sit back down before you really harm yourself.'

Lyra through back her hair in frustration but obeyed the order, she was short of breath, even though she had only been standing for several moments. After sitting her self back on the hard mattress, Charles began again. 'Who sent you?'

Lyra blinked slowly, hoping to unnerve the old man but she did not prevail.

'Why do you ask questions to which you already know the answer?' she said quietly, playing with a lock of her hair.

Charles was hit with a dark feeling of Déjà vu. He had heard many-a-time those words come straight from Erik Lensher's mouth.  
Why hadn't he expected Magneto to recruit more mutants than Mystique? He had known that he had strong connections with other "Human Haters" but was he recruiting this young?

Charles moved to Lyra's side. 'Why did he send you?' Charles whispered, clutching at the bed sheets and leaning toward her. He looked into her eyes and probed her mind

_Tell me everything._

And that's when the words started to gush from her mouth

'He didn't,' she said, her eyes out of focus. 'He runs the Brotherhood, but it is divided into smaller groups. I belong to a newly formed one. Theirs four in all, but this squadron is different, the others, their just cronies, older mutants who hate humans, they don't do much. But our group, we are the chosen ones, we are the defence team. We are elite. Theirs 5 of us in all, we train with Phoenix on most evenings, and she teaches us during the day. You better watch your back, Xavier; there more of us than you think.'

Charles turned his eyes away from her, letting them drift over the room. He had let his mind slip. Jeans death had made him forget the problems at hand. The growing hatred toward mutants, the registration act, Magneto. He had forgotten the safety of his students; he had forgotten everything he used to believe in.

He couldn't believe how stupid he had been.

But Jean had been like a daughter to him, she was one of the first students to come under his tutelage. She was kind, considerate; she was everything that he would have wanted in his own daughter.

Several minutes passed in silence as Charles became more and more absorbed in his thoughts.

'Professor...' Logan began, becoming impatient, but once again, he was silence by Charles's hand. He hated that hand.

'I have to use Cerebro.' He murmured and wheeled himself to the door. 'I shall deal with you tomorrow.'


	5. The next move

**CHASE**

**PART I**

**CHAPTER IIII**

Charles watched Lyra move around the Danger Room with cat-like agility, leaping from wall to wall, swinging from holographic light poles, gliding along the empty matrix with such unending energy. She had donned her old clothes again, the black body suit with the phoenix embroidered on the back shined in the unnatural light.

She had told him everything she knew of the Brotherhood and Phoenix League, the assassinations and plots to diminish the human population. Using children to perform such operations seemed barbaric to Charles, but his thoughts on the matter were interrupted by Ororo Munroe's entrance. She came striding in, white hair drifting about her shoulders, her eyes directed straight at the professor.

'Look at this.' She said, voice like thunder.

She thrusted a folder into his withered hands, someone had scribbled messily with a permanent marker on the front. "Test results"

He flipped through the 10 page file, glancing at the charts and words that filled it, not really concentrating on any of it.

'Well?' Ororo questioned sternly, looking down at him, hands at her hips, forehead furrowed in frustration

He glanced sideways at Lyra who was perched atop the roof of one of the many housing commission buildings that filled the artificial environment. 'I suppose that there is something of importance you intend to lecture me on, Storm' He sighed and turned to look at her. Her face was ageing, lines were forming around her eyes and mouth. They weren't smile lines.

'When we were monitoring her mind during the first few hours of her induced sleep, I noticed the fact that there was another mind connected to hers. Note the double brainwave frequency here.' She pointed with her white Esté Lauder polished fingernail at a mind frequency chart, tracing the double lines. 'Also, after doing several tests on her blood, to determine her actual mutations, I recognised the same chemicals that were in Scott's system after spending some time at Alkali Lake with Striker.'

Charles shuddered at the sound of those two words. _Alkali Lake._ 'By this, I assume, you mean she had no control over her actions?'

Storm nodded. 'We have to do something about this "Phoenix League" before Magneto has a chance to raise an army. There out there, you know Professor, they are gathering and soon they'll make their stand.'

'Yes, yes.' The professor paused, apparently dwelling on a thought, ' I want a list of all registered mutants with connections to the brotherhood and other human hating clubs, guilds, secret societies, that sort of thing. I shall get in contact with some peace groups, see if I can string up a strong enough side.'

Storm nodded, turning to the computer beside her. 'I want Scott and Logan to go collect some electronics I ordered from Japan, send Lyra along with them and Kurt can look after the Children.'

Storm looked up from the government network search engine she'd hacked into and gave the professor a puzzled look. 'Do you think that's wise?' she questioned, brushing back a bit of ivory hair with her hand.

'What? Yes, I assume Mr Wagner is competent enough to look after a small group of children,'

'No, sending the girl with Logan and Scott, she is a criminal.'

The professor shook his head and sighed, his Armani shirt rose and fell with chest. 'I agree that Logan isn't exactly what I would call "parent material" but she is his charge. He seemed to do a good job with Rogue.

He did the damage, he has to repay it to her.'

X

Upstairs, hours later, Bobby, Rogue, Jubilee, Poitr, Kitty and Monet St Croix were sitting in front of the television contentedly. Well, the majority of them anyway. Jubilation Lee was fidgeting in the deep leather seat she was sharing with Monet. Bobby had the volume on the wide screen turned up to the max and the news readers voice was echoing of the polished panels of the walls.

'..._The security systems at the White House and the Mutant Research Centre have been compromised. A group of young mutant rebels entered and stole several items, all of which are yet to be named...We spoke to Hank McCoy earlier...'_

Several pictures of mutants where shown before the forth was put up.

'Oh god, no! Bobby roared as his friends face flashed up on the screen, details of his mutations where read out before another photo flashed onto the screen. This time it was Jubilees turn to yell out.

'That's the girl I saw in the sick bay when I went down help Dr Reyes!' She jumped off the seet, sending Monet sprawling on the floor. 'BACK IN ALGER-'She began angrily but stopped herself.

'_This group, known only as the "Phoenix League" is wanted for a string of robberies and assassinations. This group is connected to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, a group of wanted mutants including public enemy number 1, Erik Lensher, who held an entire police squad and threatened to kill ...'_

The transmission began to falter and soon, the picture was completely overrun by static.

'All senior students and staff are to meet in my office in 5 minutes'

Poitr smiled. Something big was happening and this time he was going to be part of it.


	6. Rude awakenings

**CHASE**

**PART II**

**CHAPTER I**

All the senior students left Xavier's office minutes later a little bit confused. Not only had he told on short notice that they would be accompanying him to New York but he had been very vague about what they would be doing there. Poitr recalled his words.

'...And there we shall be attending a conference on Mutant Freedom, afterwards we will discuss our next moves...'

He had turned to Cyclops and Wolverine and told them to go to New Orleans, to talk to a boy named Remy Le Beau, Storm had looked up at that. He had also told them to pick up some technology from a Japanese supplier and that they would be taking the intruder, Lyra De Cloyes.

He had then asked the blue demonic looking mutant named Night Crawler to look after the younger students. He had seen the disappointment in his face and he thought of the many times that he had felt the same, all those times when he knew he was ready, when he knew he could fight Magneto, be an X-Man.  
As he watched Kurt stride ahead of the group, he thought of how he could still believe in God when he was cursed with the X gene. He watched the cross dangle from his three fingers, heard him whistle the notes of Psalm 23. Why had God let this happen to them?

He looked back as conscious thoughts where broken as the exited hubbub behind him became a roaring torrent of happy conversation. He returned a small smile that Kitty gave him before letting his eyes turn to Ms Munroe who was looking shocked and confused.

Her white hair had been cropped into jagged spikes and she was fiddling with a necklace that was hanging from her neck, the symbol of the X-Men, an X made of two silver lightening bolts fused together. He gave her a toothy grin when she looked up but she seemed too weak to give him one back.

What had she been told that could make her look that way?

X

Logan appeared in the doorway of Xavier's office, he looked everything but happy. His hair was sticking up on all angles, which was strange for him because he always seemed to look like he had a kilo of hair gel making those wolf ear points stay in position.

His muscular chest was heaving underneath his usual white singlet, apparently he had run all the way there from the garage after Scott had wandered into his bedroom saying something about his bike catching fire.

'We're awake now are we?' Scott whispered spitefully, hands in the pockets of his chocolate brown jacket, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. Logan sidled his way passed an antique book case. 'No matter what's happened, you're still a dick.' He snarled.

'Where on the same wave length then'

The professor cleared his throat, drawing the squabbling men's attention. When he spoke, his usually steady voice faltered and his eyes where cast down. 'During the period of time that Miss De Cloyes has been staying with us, I have been able to extract certain – information that has horrified and shocked me. You both know, and have dealt with on occasion, the likes of Magneto and the Brotherhood. Lyra has told me of the Phoenix League.'

Something clicked in Scott's head.

'A new group of younger, more powerful mutants who are being taught by a figure, who, in the past, I have not known the identity of.

As you both know, Magneto has developed a guard against the power of Cerebro but, as it happened, the figure has telekinetic powers.'

Scott began to feel weak, a dark, sickening feeling was winding its way through his chest.

'The person in question made a connection with our captives mind and I was able to trace them through this.'

Logan turned, a new scent had entered the mansion. A familiar one.

'The person in question is – Jean'

Scott turned, ruby quartz glasses flashing. 'LIAR!' he yelled smashing his fist into the mahogany desk with such force that it cracked down the centre, moaning as if in pain.

'She's dead, you know she's dead! We saw her die! I let her die -' He began to shake, crying silently. 'Why are you doing this to me?'

Logan glared at the bald man. 'Where all going through a tough time at the moment, God, even I have felt like breakin' down every so often but don't start goin' nuts on us, Chuck, that's all we need.'

The professor looked up. 'I felt her, after we came back from Alkali Lake, but my research has led me to believe that she is alive and under Magneto's care. She also has accumulated an immense amount of psychic power, which is how she was able to make the mental connection with Lyra.'

Scott looked up, tears streaming down his face. 'You can't tell me that all the pain, all the torment I have gone through was for nothing?'

The professor moved to a book case a few metres away from Scott, his back turned. 'We have all been through a lot of pain these last three months, Scott, there is no question about it, but if you ignore me and go on believing that she is gone than she could be in great danger.'

X

Logan burst through the door of the small bedroom. 'Get up' he said, kicking the trundle bed which slid along the polished floor boards and hit the wall with a dull thump. The room he had just stormed into was unlike every other room in the X Mansion. It was almost Spartan in its décor, the walls where a crisp, clean white, the wardrobe, unlike the one in his room, was not elaborate, uncarved, one door was open, revealing several tracksuits baring the school crest and Lyra's own supporting the dark phoenix.

The lump in the bed moaned and rolled over.

'ItoldyouJohn, I don'haveyalighter' she slurred, peaking her head up over the sheets. Her eyes opened in surprise when she saw the wolf-like man towering over her bed.

He bent over and grabbed her arm and pulled her from the bed, she was nearly thrown into the wall with his force. He drew her close, hand closed tightly around her neck.

'Listen bub, you're comin' with Cyclops and me and there ain't gonna be any funny business,' He hissed in her ear, teeth bared menacingly, squeezing a little bit harder on her thin neck. 'And if there is, I won't feel any guilt about what I do to you.'

Lyra nodded. He'd done it once and she knew he'd do it again.


	7. Not this family

**NOT THIS FAMILY**

_Lyra stared into the barrel of the gun, fear binding her arms to her sides._

'_I always new you'd turn out strange. How could I have such a creature produced by my genes? How could mon enfant be a Mutant?' He snarled, his accent, a strange combination of that of a Parisian and a Polynesian. The click of the safety guard being released made her sick. 'Jacques – please don't do this.' Her mother, Beatrice Heyington De Cloyes, begged, a bruise slowly forming on her angular cheek._

'_Pourquoi? I will not be the father to a freak!' He lined up the pistol._

_Moments ago, she had been revelling in the joys of her newly acquired birthday presents, for it was her birthday, her 11th to be exact. She had always been different to the rest of her family. Her father was a culinary master, famous for his dishes around the globe, her mother was a Eurasian beauty, actress turned politician and her older sister, Electra, was blonde, contrary to her parents, her father, a mousey brown and her mother, jet black. She was boarding in America, some school for gifted youngsters._

_She looked to her mother for comfort, her black eyes searching the womans emerald green ones, the ones that Lyra used to have..._

_The front door opened on the other side of the elegant house and her sister's loud voice reverberated off the gold leaf wallpaper. 'Papa!' she called again, her accent had an American twinge._

_She reached the door, wheelie bag in hand._

'_Papa?' She looked from the gun, to Lyra, to her fathers blood thirsty eyes. 'What the hell -?'_

_the little black haired girl ran and rapped her arms around her waist. 'Sparky!' she said, her voice muffled by the chunky blue sweater that Electra was wearing._

'_What are you doing?'_

_Her father turned and lowered the gun so it pointed directly at the back of Lyras head. He wanted to bury a bullet in her right there and then; his hatred for the cowering child was almost palpable. _

'_Elle est un anomalie! She is a Mutant!' He screamed._

_She looked down at her little sister. 'Père, I know you only have one bullet in that gun but your going to need two' _

_The lamps in the room shattered and electricity crackled in the room, the sparks surrounding the blond. _

_The gun went off, and for a moment Lyra had though he had missed but then, her sisters grip lessened, her body went limp in her arms before falling into a heap, blood spilling from the wound in her chest._

'_MONSTRE!!! MONSTRE!!!' She screeched, delivering a powerful blow square into his handsome jaw. His head was thrown back with a sickening crack, blood spilling from his open mouth. He fell to ground in the same manner as Electra had, his body lying unattended to on the venitian rug. _

_Her mother got up and reached out for the small girl. Her hands where shaking and so was her voice. 'I-I need you to go to Am-erica, go down to the docks, you remember Remy? His father will be there, he owns a boat, he will take you to New York.' The woman handed her a small business card that bore the same "X" as Electra's school jumper. 'The man there will help you' _

_-_

__

_'Look how he treated you, his own daughter. The hate for mutants destroys families, Chase, not this one. Come back, sister, you belong with the Brotherhood.' Phoenix whispered, appearing again to her in dream form. _

_'NO!' she screamed, turning her back on the glowing form of her teacher. 'I won't!'_

_The sound of malevolent laugher rang out in the empty space. 'Well your running straight to us, Lyra, your coming home'_


	8. Familiar demons

**CHASE**

**PART II**

**CHAPTER II**

Lyra woke, finding herself in the back of Scott's blue Mazda, the backstreet boys blaring from the speakers behind her. Nick Carter was doing a particularly loud solo so both of the x-men in the front seats didn't hear her gasp and begin to sob.

She leant over and felt like she was going to be sick, her stomach writhing.

Why was Phoenix doing this to her, surely she wasn't so important to the Brotherhood that her mental health had to be sacrificed?  
The question that plagued her now was should she tell her captors?

'What's wrong, kid?' Logan growled, keeping his tired eyes on Scott who was slipping closer to the steering wheal. He knew he would never let him drive but just in case Cyclops fell asleep, he didn't want to have to explain anything to any of those judicial bastards who went out of their way to give mutants a bad name.

Lyra just moaned, resting her head in her arms.

How would Magneto know where to send them?

She fumbled around her neck for the identification necklace all members of the brotherhood had. She pulled it off her neck, her fingers touching the cold chain.

"Chase" The inscription read, glinting in the early light.

"Phoenix League"

Lyra stared at it until her eyes hurt. Unfortunately, those chosen for the Brotherhood weren't for there mental ability, which, in most cases, wasn't of a high degree. And Lyra wasn't one of those exceptions. She knew about combat, marshal arts, gym, the art of persuasion and drama, but that really summed up her range of expertise.

'Oh shit.' She cursed under her breath. The tracking devise implanted in each tag was still working, she assumed, how else would they know she was still at Mutant High and hadn't run off with the parts?

Mist rolled in over the still water of Lake Ponterchartrain. The sun seemed to be frozen, just peeking over the horizon, leaving the city in perpetual dawn. Scott gunned the Mazda through a clear junction before navigating round a corner by a shipping warehouse. Men carrying crates of fish caught earlier that morning scattered as the metallic blue car sped toward them. Logan gave a grunt of satisfaction as Scott came to sharp stop beside Something's Fishy Corp. Truck.

'You sure this is right, Scooter?' Logan said, climbing out of the car and looking around. He had never liked New Orleans, not since he ran into the red eyed kid down in Belle Chasse.  
Scott nodded, already moving toward the building that owned the truck, according to its name. Logan looked back at Lyra who was leaning on the car, her eyes covered by big, dark sunglasses. 'Stay here and look for Le Beau.' He leaned in closer. 'You do anything weird and I'll stay true to my word.' He smiled at her horrified look before going to join Scott who was talking in Japanese fluently to a small man who was nodding and pointing at a huge paddle steamer named "The Tsunami"

Lyra scowled at the animalistic man. 'Schizophrenic' she muttered before heading in the other direction.

X

'There in place' Mystique turned, the corners of her lips curving into a smile, her golden eyes looking to Magneto who rose from his chair and paced the length of his quarters in a mater of seconds. 'Check' he said, clipping an ear peace to the side of his head. 'Pyro, The subjects are in position. I want Chase back unharmed, as for Xaviers precious X-Men, let it be the day you exact your revenge on the people who have constrained your powers for so long.'

X

John rapped his hand around Lyra's mouth and drew her into a tight embrace. She let out an exasperated moan and tried to struggle against his grip weakly. 'Shhh' he said, dragging her into the shadows of an old shipment ware house as several other mutants baring the Phoenix crest ran past, shouting commands at each other. 'Lyra, you have to listen to me.' He turned her to look at him, brushing wayward strands of hair away from angular face. 'You gotta do something for me, right? You've got to give this to the Proff,' He shoved a CD into the pocket of her jeans. 'Your gonna get Cyclops and Wolverine and your gonna get them out of here. Listen to me, Chase,' he pulled her in closer to him. He smelt of smoke, it was a warm familiar scent. She missed it.

'You gotta tell Drake – you gotta tell him I'm sorry.' He put a duffle bag into her arms which she dropped immediately. 'Whats in it?' She said, kicking it with her sneaker.

'Your stuff. You've done your time with Magneto. Try being a normal girl for a change.

She smiled up at him, her height, or lack there off, was diminutive compared to Pyro, who wasn't very tall himself. She threw off her usually icy exterior and pulled him into a demanding kiss. 'Missed you' She whispered.

'I told you not to do that' He returned, ruffling her hair before pushing her in the direction of the paddle steamer.

Lyra leapt up the side of "The Tsunami", enjoying the thrill of movement, letting her limbs stretch properly for the first time in weeks. It was good to be out of that ornate hell hole. She crept up the next level, sprinting on all fours to the double fronted doors.

'Well if it isn't Chase De Cloyes, never thought we'd see you here' A tall mousey brown haired girl piped, grabbing Lyra by the collar of her jumper, the other two laughed hysterically, Pyro just looked at his feet, Climbing over the side of the boat after her.

A boy with albino like skin and grey eyes moved up to her. 'The only thing we hates more than a traitor, is a traitor who joins the X-Men. You's goin' down, Chase.'

'No Ghost.' A dark hand gripped tightly on his shoulder. 'Not today. Magneto says he wants her back in one piece.'

'Stuff magneto, I'm gonna gut her from navel ta nose' He hissed, drawing a blade from his belt. Lyra backed up against the weather board wall, shooting tempest a pleading look.

'You think 'cause I wont let him kill you doesn't mean I don't want to?' She snarled, a look of disgust sliding across her face.

'You betrayed us Lyra. I don't know why Magneto wants you back so bad.'

Jake "Ghost" Hollingsworth delivered the first blow into her mouth. She felt the sting as a steady flow of crimson blood spilled from the wound in her bottom lip. The next into her upper chest.

He held the blade up to her neck. 'Ready to die?'

To her left, she could see something moving toward the group, none of the teens had noticed until it was too late, Raydar, Tempest and Pyro were all thrown to the ground, the three sliding along the decks with the force off the blow. The attacker then raised the staff he was holding above the deathly white boy, and brought it down hard. The wooden pole just slipped right through Ghost, who dropped the dagger and sprinted off around side of the boat.

'Mon dieu ! Dat ain't normal' The boy said, straightening up, his blood red pupils looking to Lyra, then to the writhing bodies at his feet.

'Well, Remy, what did you expect?'


	9. Be his again

**CHASE**

**PART II**

**CHAPTER III**

Logan felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and he stopped trying to understand what Scott and the little man where talking about and what was in the crates that Scott was paying for. He turned, sniffing the air, taking a few steps toward the railing.

People where moving about the second level. Without asking, he took the stairs, moving slowly and silently up each step. The voices grew louder, and now he could make them out. Lyra was up there, he could smell her fear.

'_Ready to die?' _

Slipping round the flank of the paddle steamer, he stopped, standing still for a minute to light a cigar.

His brown eyes caught sight of movement within the ballroom, its dated glamour was slowly pealing off the walls, the chandelier was hanging lopsidedly from a sagging roof and the worn dance floor had become the storage space for wooden boxes not unlike those that he had recently crammed into the back of Scott's metallic blue Mazda.

Stepping through the threshold of the decaying French doors, hoping his entrance would go unnoticed.

'You grab the stuff, I'm gonna go find Ghost and Radar before they kill Lyra.'  
'So what if they do, she's a traitor. She doesn't deserve our mercy.'  
'I don't think Ghost has that word in his vocabulary.'  
'Good. Just leave him to do his thing.'  
'Just do what I say Xylina. Then we can go kick some X-Men ass.'

The dark girl smirked, flicking her layered hair backwards, 'I can't believe you used to live with those people' She turned on her heal and heading into the kitchen.

_Your living a lie Pyro_, he thought, looking side ways as something dark passed the window. _You don't belong at Xaviers and you sure as hell don't belong with Magneto._

He turned slowly, eyes cast down. _When this is all over, you're gonna go back there, you're gonna tell Bobby why you did it, tell him yourself. And Rogue, this thing with Lyra, maybe it's to replace her. She never loved you, get over it._

He cursed, kicking at a stray whiskey bottle, it rolled to a stop just before a worn army boot. Pyro let his eyes wander up the torn jeans, to a flannel shirt, underneath a white wife beater singlet, pulled together with leather jacket and a belt buckle resembling the head of a native American.

He knew that outfit and he knew it meant trouble.

Logan let out a low, baritone growl, unleashing his claws slowly and deliberately. The metal gleamed in the early morning light that drifted in lazily through an open window, dripping them in molten gold.

'Why John? I just want to know why. You ruined more than one life when you left in the helicopter.'

The short brunette shrugged, pulling out his iconic shark lighter and flicking it open.

'Pyro.' He said firmly. 'So the good doctor died? Hmm? Funny how things like that work. Now we've got her. You want her back so bad, Wolverine? You want her real bad? I know you do.' He snarled, the flame intensified in his hand, engulfing it. 'Your gonna have to fight for your precious Jean.'

Logan growled, diving forward towards Pyro. The boy leapt sideways, sending a fireball straight at the wolfish man.

'Try again bub.' Logan said, spinning around, but before he could attack him again he felt his clothes and hair singe from behind.

'What the?' he yelled, turning, claws held forward.

'Naughty boys shouldn't play with fire,' a tall, dark girl said, finger waggling in front of her. 'Leave that to naughty girls.'

'Tempest... Pyro sneered, inching forward. 'Didn't anyone every tell you not to provoke mean little doggies?'

that was the final straw, Logan yelled and ran forward, claws swiping left, right and centre. Pyro swung back, sending an arm of flame flying towards a stack a wooden crates by the doorway, all of which contained tankards of alcohol which disintegrated in an explosion of amber flames.

'Pyro!' Lyra yelled, running through the smouldering door way of the floating ballroom.

'Not so fast,' hissed a soft voice. 'You and me gotta a few things to sort out first.'

'Ghost, get away from me!' she turned wildly, throwing a punch in his direction. He dodged it easily, grabbing Lyra's arm.

'When will you learn, Chase, that ay was always the fastest of the group. No one could ever catch me.'

'You were always telling me I was no one.' Lyra snapped back, sending her foot flying, catching Ghost off guard. Her heel collided with the child, slamming him back into a wall, which is disappeared through.

'Shit,' muttered Lyra, turning back to see how Pyro was faring.

X

Scott turned as shouts disturbed his transactions with Kenji Okamura, the little man yelled in horror as several of the windows shattered in their frames, flames pouring from the open doorway. A pale boy staggered backwards through the weatherboard wall and the railing of the second level to fall 10 feet, landing in a misshapen heap in Lyra's arms. 'But I was the only one who could catch you.5 miles in 5 minutes, remember that.'

The child let out a shattering screamed, hot tears streaming down his cheeks. His body was writhing, his face contorted in pain. 'PHOENIX!' the plead, a mere choked shriek.

Scott started for the pair but the confused supplier caught his arm. 'Mr Summers' His voice carried an English twinge, 'Would you care to explain what on earth is going on?' His tone was urgent and demanding, his bear bottle glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose, sweat beading on his forehead. 'Charles said nothing of this.'

Fire had ravaged the boat in a matter of minutes. Thick, black smoke curled into the morning sky, embers dancing in the wind.

Scott just crammed the check into the mans open palm and sprinted for the two teens. 'What did you do to him?'

Lyra voiced her disagreement, pushing the boy into his lower ribs. 'Not me.' She said, raising her arm and pointed at a circling Black Hawk,

'Her.'

Scott turned, looking up at the amber tinted sky.

That's when he felt it.

Jean.

The emotions flooded back. Logan. The dam, the wave. Her selfless sacrifice.

He could feel her in his mind. Feel her searching his thoughts.

The pain that ripped through him nearly brought him to his knees.

It hurt more now, knowing that she was alive and close, so close that he could call her name and she would turn around and run into his arms. Be his again.

It hurt because she was there but he couldn't have her.

'JEAN!' he screamed, smoke whipping around him, rendering him sightless.

Tears were running unchecked down his cheeks. The boy wouldn't notice, he was barely conscious now.


	10. The elements ward

**CHASE**

**PART II**

**CHAPTER IIII**

Luke "Radar" Mactier closed his eyes. Pain still seared through the right side of his body. He had taken the full blow of the staff and was feeling the rewards of ignoring his intuition. He'd felt the boy moving up to them in his mind, that's where he earned the name Radar, he'd often heard Magneto refer to him as "a walking, talking Cerebro."

God knows what that was, all he knew was that Chase had gone off to get the internal components of the machine and had decided to stay on at the school. He felt a dark sense of pleasure as Lyra entered his frequency. He was going to make the traitor pay.

X

Lyra sprinted toward the stairwell, leaving Scott behind; his screams became mere murmurs as the roar of the fire that was consuming the steamer became so tumultuous that it was almost like an orchestra, the flames yielding to the wishes of its conductors, Tempest and Pyro. She passed a lanky boy who stood, eyes clamped shut, his hand clutching at the bloody material at his side, a dark smile curving the sides of his mouth.

_Blood is on her hands. A mother cries for her son, a father grieves silently. A boy stands motionless over the body of his fallen comrade, his eyes look up to her, utter loathing radiating from their jade centres._

_The gun went off, and for a moment Lyra had though he had missed but then, her sisters grip lessened, her body goes limp in her arms before falling into a heap, blood spilling from the wound in her chest._

_The gun slips from her hands, Senator Marconi is dead, his body lies unattended to in front of thousands, crimson liquid trickles from the side of his mouth. His daughter is crying by his side. All the eyes in the sports dome are settling on her, the same look she has seen ever time before. Hatred._

_Blood is on her hands. A Dying priest. Grieving women. Broken windows. Screaming children. Revolvers being pulled from their holsters. The stares of the horrified public as she climbs up the glassy surface of the sky scraper. The circling Black Hawk. _

_Magneto praising her skills. Her mother reaches out. The burning body of the woman, Phoenix. Electra, dead in her arms._

_Darkness._

Luke watched his former team mate fall to the floor in the same way he had watched Ghost seconds before. She curled up into the foetal position and wimpered pathetically, tears running down her pale cheeks. He watched her reel, whispering to herself.

The boy stood there, sun beating on the back of his neck, enjoying the torment and suffering that he was witnessing. Ah, the joys of being a mind controlling mutant, and his favourite ability, Memory Release.

A bright flash lit up the ash filled sky. Lightning? No. Lightning is not red.

Then it hit him, square in the chest, knocking the air from his lungs and sending him flying across the decks, over the railing and into the icy waters of Lake Ponterchartrain.

The sky was eclipsed for a matter of moments as a helicopter passed overhead, Scott looked up before plucking the broken girl from her resting place, offering her a sad smile which she couldn't return.

It was nice, cradled there in Scott's arms. For the first time since she was 11, she cried. She cried for her sister. She cried for those she had killed, for the whole goddamn messed up world, but she cried for herself, because she didn't have to go back there. She didn't have to be strong; she didn't have to be Chase.

She could just be Lyra.

The boat dipped sideways, water spilling onto the stern side of the ship, moaning like a cello, its paddles rotating helplessly in the air. Logan appeared by the boat ramp, disposing of Pyro and Tempest in the same way Scott had done Radar. He turned, his powerfully built torso heaving, a small boy draped over his right shoulder. 'C'mon sport. We've got what we came for.'

a blue Mazda skidded round the corner, careering around a group of stunned onlookers, mounting the side walk, nearly colliding with another car. The drivers' seat door flew open and Remy's head popped out. 'GET IN DA CAR!' He roared, his French tinted New Orleans accent breaking into Scott's nerves. 'I'm not leaving without Jean.'

Logan gave him a twisted look. 'Wha..?' The boat dipped further, sending him sprawling on the floor, the boy in his arms flopping like inanimate doll.

'MERDE! GET IN THE CAR!' the Cajun roared, eyeing several approaching NOPD cars, sirens flooding the wharves. Logan obeyed, jumping onto the drenched foot path and sprinting for cover of the awaiting vehicle. Scott stood frozen, steadying himself on the lopsided deck of the sinking paddle steamer. He couldn't defy Charles.

X

Logan glared the road as Gambit masterfully negotiated the New Orleans CBD and was now settling the car into a comfortable 110 kilometres an hour up route 10.

'So, Scooter, what do we do now?' Logan murmured in perfect Japanese, adjusting himself in his seat, tapping subconsciously to the rhythm of Black Dog, the music pounding in his ears.

Scott, who had been sobbing silently over Lyra's seemingly lifeless body, looked up, his eyebrows arching above his visor.

'We go back to the mansion and await Charles next commands.'

Logan's scowl steadied. Trust Cyclops stick-up-his-arse Summers to be a complete dick when Jean was out there.

X

The monotonous hum of the iridescent lights faltered for a moment and Hank looked up, pushing his beer-bottle glasses back up the ridge of his nose with a bulky finger. The lamps in the "G" lab, as he had come to call it affectionately, flickered again.

He straightened up from his workings and paced to the door, finding the hall outside devoid of any of the slow witted guards or his fellow colleagues. His earpiece crackled for a moment, the sound of muted voices drifted in from the cell block above.  
The Kelly-McKenna Mutant Containment and Research centre in northern Washington was the closest thing to a home that Hank McCoy had had in years and it wasn't much of a home at that. The sounds of mutants screams and pleads mixed in with the whirring of computers didn't make for a great working environment, but the pay was good and the people were friendly as far as scientists go.

Hank drifted down the hall, looking into offices as he passed them. All empty.

The lights wavered again, leaving the hall in shadow for a moment before drenching the ultra-modern tunnel in an off white light.

He cursed silently to himself. Not M162.

The electricity controlling mutant in Cell Block B, the elements wing.

Hank sprinted up the stairwell, through the secrurity doors after flashing his ID card by the guards, he passed through Cell Block A, by the Physical Mutations ward and its glass cased detainees who yelled abuse at him, slamming their fists into the transparent walls.

The lights were out now, the sounds of his colleagues yells reverberated off the concrete walls, he passed through the next security door unnoticed, crashing through the metallic doors with such force that they broke free of their hinges.

'Where have you been?' John Crosthwaite roared across the room, tranquilizer gun drawn, pointed directly at the blond adult who's cell was exploding with golden light, the mutants around her where all cowering, afraid of the wrath of there barbaric holders. Hank removed his own gun from its holster, sideling around guards who were preparing to sedate the rogue. 'Her wrist guards are damaged, her powers are of full use to her -' the row of military men where thrown back as the room exploded with electricity. Crosthwaite lined up the gun and Hank shook his head. 'What, Beast? You've always been to kind to these freaks. Their not human.'  
He looked down, smiling in frustration. The childhood name had been adopted by his work mates because of his brutish looks and it didn't please him.

'We had come so far with her research, John. We can't just dispose of Electra now.'


End file.
